Gas stove with burner and combustion control assembly



NOV. 11, 1952 PRATHER 2,617,404

GAS STOVE WITH BURNER AND COMBUSTION CONTROL ASSEMBLY 6 SheetsSheet 1Filed Feb. 28, 1946 |HHHHHHHH .=='3' 137 I26 J 2: L INVENTOR i yraslYzanz I Prazfzer ATTORNEY Nov. 11, 1952 PRATHER 2,617,404

GAS STOVE WITH BURNER AND COMBUSTION CONTROL ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 28,1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 yin/2am P Prazker BY 42k ATTORNEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR graham f? Piaf/2e!" p BY ATTORNEY G P PRATHER GAS STOVE WITHBURNER AND COMBUSTION CONTROL ASSEMBLY Nov. 11, 1952 Flled Feb 28 No).11, 1952 e. P. PRATHER GAS STOVE WITH BURNER AND COMBUSTION CONTROLASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 28,

6 Sheets-Sheet! INVENTOR graham Z? Piaf/1.61

G ATTORNEY Ndv. 11, 1952 e. P. PRATHER GAS STOVE WITH BURNER ANDCOMBUSTION CONTROL ASSEMBLY 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 28, 1946INVENTOR grail am P. Pra i/zel' d" ATTORNEY 1952 G. P. PRATHER GAS STOVEWITH BURN ER AND COMBUSTION CONTROL ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 28,

6 Sheets-Sheet e INVENTOR graham 1 Prazffier ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11,1952 GAS STOVE WITH BURNER AND COMBUS- TION CONTROL ASSEMBLY Graham P.Prather, Teaneck, N. J., assignor to J. A. Grier, New York, N, Y.

Application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 650,767

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stoves and is directed moreparticularly to the provision of a novel gas stove or range withimproved features conducive to giving the best results in line with thetrend in modern kitchens.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a gas stove ofburners utilizing gas from the gas main, and thoroughly mixing the samewith air from a pump or blower.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision, in a gas range, ofa burner, means to deliver air under pressure thereto, a source of gas,a cock for controlling the supplying of gas to said burner, a handle forcontrolling said cock for conjointly controlling the delivery of air tosaid burner from said source.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a gas stove of aburner, a gas cock, and a handle for controlling the delivery of gas tothe burner, the delivery of air to said burner and adapted also tocontrol the electrical ignition of the mixture of gas and air deliveredto the burner, thereby eliminating the continuous burning of gas by apilot light and the attendant difiiculties encountered in the use ofpilot lights.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a gas range, ofnovel oven construction, utilizing a minimum quantity of gas, andobtaining from said gas the greatest possible B. t. u.s and retainingand conserving them to a greater degree than has heretofore beenpossible in gas ovens. My novel oven is so arranged that when it isopened, the contents and the shelves supporting said contents areaccessible from opposite sides of the door.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art after a study of the drawings and the specificationcontained herein.

Referring to the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of my new and improved gas stovesas seen along the lines |-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my range with the right half of the transparentcover omitted;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the airmanifold, the burner, and the conjoint control of the gas, the air, andthe electrical ignition;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View in perspective showing the motor drivenblower, together with its inlet and discharge manifolds and theirrelation to each other and to other elements in m device.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the gas cock switches, the. ignitionplugs, the distributor, and the blower motor;

Fig. '7 is an alternate wiring diagram of the electricalinstrumentalities of the range; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevation taken along the line8-8 of Fig. 3 showing the method of insulatingly supporting the grilleddiscs above the respective burners.

Referring first to Fig. 4, the main gas manifold l0 has connectedthereto an inlet branch ll of a valve or gas cock l2. The outlet branchI3 is connected by means of a fitting M to a'length of tubing l5, andthe other end of the tubing carries afitting |6 which threadedly engagesa gas inlet boss 24, the interior of which communicates with the burnerair passage IT. The air passage has one end extending vertically and theburner I8 is mounted thereon. The other end extends outwardly from theair manifold |9- beginning at the point 20. The burner is preferably oneof the radiant type.

A butterfly valve 2| is carried on a suitable shaft 2 la in the airpassage I! and has connected thereto a flexible shaft 22 carried in acasing 23, which is connected by means of a suitable fitting 25 to thebody of the gas cock l2 in alignment with the rotatable element therein,and the flexible shaft is connected to and rotates with the rotatableelement. The fitting 25 also includes a stuffing box which permits theshaft 22 to be rotated without allowing gas to leak out. The rotatableelement has a shaft '26 extending therefrom and projecting through aclearance hole in the trim plate or channel 2'! and carrying a suitablehandle 28.

A cam 29 mounted on the shaft 26 has in cooperative relation therewith aspring lever 30 which is, in turn, supported on a micro-switch 3|. Thismicro-switch controls a motor-driven blower which will be presentlydescribed. The shaft 25 also has secured thereto a second cam 32 whichcooperates with a spring lever 33 which is supported on a micro-switch34, which controls the ignition current delivered to the ignition plug35, as will presently be described.

When the handle 28 is rotated to turn the gas on and deliver it via thetubing l5 to the burner IS, the micro-switch 3| closes and startsamotordriven blower into operation. This causes air to be delivered tothe air manifold I9, and at least some of this air is delivered via thebutterfly valve 2| to the passage I1 where it is mixed with the gas andthe mixture passes on to the burner l8. The micro-switch 34 is'also'clo'sed and the primary of the ignition coil is energized, withthe result that high tension current is distributed to the igniter plug35, igniting the burner. The ignition coil and the method ofdistributing it to the igniter plugs will presently be described.

As stated above, the burner is of the radiant type and it will generateheat in accordance with the quantities of gas and air delivered'thereto.As the handle 28 is turned to deliver more gas to the burner, thebutterfly valve 2| is also turned to permit more air to be delivered tothe burner, thereby insuring the proper mixture of gas and air at allsettings of the handle 28.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the manifold is is part of a blower 31. Anelectric motor 38 has its shaft directly coupled to the rotating elementof the blower. A conduit 39 extends vertically upward from the exhaustport 36 and joins the horizontally-extending manifold IS. A branchconduit 40, communicating with the conduit 39, extends into acompartment 4| having perforated sides '42, 43, 44, and a grill 45 onthe front thereof. This compartment has an imperforate top (not shown)and bottom, and may be filled with any good dry deodorant, such ascharcoal, carbon, etc. Within the conduit 45 is mounted a manuallyadjustable butterfly valve 46, whose purpose will presently bedescribed.

Branching out from the conduit 39 is a condult 41 which is provided witha butterfly valve 48, and which supports a burner 49. Gas is supplied tothe burner, along with air from the conduit 41, via the tubing 50 from agas cock just like the cock l2 above described. The butterfly'valve 48is'controlled by a flexible shaft similar to the shaft' 22, 23; and theburner 49 is ignited by an igniter plug similar to the one shown at 35in Fig. 4.

Branches and 52, respectively, are duplications of the passage l1 andthey, respectively, support burners 53 and 54. They are provided withbutterfly valves, gas tubes, and igniter plugs with a gas cockarrangement, just like that shown and described in Fig. 4, therefore,they need not be again described in detail.

A continuation 55 of the conduit l9, extending downwardly, isbifurcated; one portion 56 leading to a burner 51 for the oven 58, and asec-. on'd'portion 59 leading to a second burner 60 for'said oven. A gasinlet boss 6| communicates with the interior of the portion 56, and asecond as inlet boss 62 communicates with the interior of the portion59. Suitable tubular conduits 63 and 54 lead to a gas cook of suitablecapacity and arranged like the one shown in Fig. 4, so that when it isturned on, gas is supplied to both the burner 51 and the burner 60. Thislast-mentioned gas cook may also have a flexible shaft connected to. abuterfly valve 65 mounted in the portion 55.

.The burners I8, 53, and 54 may be positioned just below the cookingtop, to be described, the burners 51 and 60 may heat the oven, and theburner 49 may be positioned beneath a pressure cooker 65, having aremovable toptl, suitable quickly disengageable top retainers 68, apressure gauge 69, a safety valve 10, and a top-removing handle or clipH. I

The inlet port of theblower 31 has connected thereto a verticalrectangular conduit 12, having its upper end communicating with ahorizontal elongated inlet port 13 having an open face 14 which, in therange, is in line with the space above the burners and the cooking top.When the blower is operated, air enters the slots 15 in the cooking topcover 16, passes over pots and/or cooking utensils thereon and togetherwith the fumes and cooking odors passes into the inlet port 13, thenceinto the conduit 12 and into the blower 31. A conduit 11 has one endcommunicating with the interior of the conduit 12, and its other end 93communicates with the oven 58 for leading cooking fumes from the oven tothe blower.

Since all cooking fumes are delivered with the air to the blower, saidfumes, together with the air, are mixed with the gas and are burnedinthe burnersresulting in the destruction of said fumes and odors.

The conduit 11 has a manually settable butterfly valve 18, and theconduit 12 is also provided with a manually settable damper or valve I9.When the range is assembled and tested, the settable valves 18 and 19 inthe inlet conduits and the settable valve 46 in the discharge conduit 40are adjusted until the air delivered to the burners is suflicient toform with the gas a perfectly combustible mixture for all settings ofeach burner.

The motor 38 may have mounted, on one end thereof, a distributor block80, the rotor of which is rotated by the motor, either by direct driveor geared down, for distributing ignition current to the burner igniterplugs, thereby making it possible to effect the ignition of all of theburners from a single ignition coil. Each terminal on the distributorleads to the ignitor plug of a different burner, so that each time thedistribut'or rot-or makes -a revolution, current for producing a sparkis delivered to each igniter plug (provided the primary winding isenergized). Now, when any given burner is turned on, its primary switch34 closes the primary circuit of the ignition coil. At the same time,the switch 3| closes the motor circuit (provided the motor is notalready running due to its having been started by the turning on ofanother burner which is still burning), and air is delivered With thegas to said given burner. The distributor sequentially delivers sparksto all of the igniter plugs (one of which is associated with said givenburner) and the given burner is ignited. The sparks delivered to theburners which are not turned on, and/or to the burners already ignitedhave no effect and can do no harm.

As a modification, the distributor may be applied to a flea power motorwith suitable reduction gear. This type of motor could also becontrolled by the switches 34 as will presently be described inconnection with Fig. 7.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the cooking top 8! consists of arectangular plate member which rests on top angle irons 82, 83, 84, andan angle iron (not shown) oppositely disposed with respect to the angleiron 84 shown in Figure 2. It has three holes 86, 81, and 88, over theburners 53, I8, and 54, respectively, and a hole 89 through which theupper end of the pressure cooker 66 projects. Theholes 86, 81, and 88are stepped or countersunk to accommodate insulating rings 94, and theinsulating rings 94 in turn support grilleddiscs 89, SI, and 92,respectively, thereby minimizing the heat transfer between the saiddiscs and the plate member 8 l. The fragmentary view, Fig. 8, showsdetails of the insulating ring 94 with respect to the hole 86 and thegrilled disc 90, and the others are identical. The top plate 8! isstepped so that above the hole 86 is a portion 93 of substantiallylarger diameter, and positioned in the portion 93 and in the hole 86 isa ring 94 of asbestos or any other suitable heat-resistant insulation.It is noted that the ring 94 is of Z-shaped cross-section, and that itrigidly supports the grilled disc above the burner, yet insulating saiddisc from and minimizing the heat transfer to the top plate 8 I.

Below, and adjacent to the cooking top plate are louvers 95, preferablyin both sides of the range, and these louvers permit atmospheric air topass upwardly and around the burners. Around the oven burner 57 is anannular opening 06, and around the oven burner 60 is an annular opening01. These annular openings permit products of combustion to escape fromthe oven.

The right side 59 of my improved range has a portion I extendingupwardly from the cooking top 9|, and a head IOI is formed therein topresent a supporting ledge to the transparent cover It. A correspondingextension I02 at the back of the range supports the inlet port I3. Ateach end of the extension are uprights I03 and IDA which are pivotallyengaged by stud plates I05 and I06, respectively. The stud plates aresecured to the transparent cover I6, so that they together with theuprights may constitute hinges for said cover. Siutablecounter-balancing means (not shown) may be provided for the transparentcover so that very littl effort is required to move it, and so that itwill stay in any desired position.

The left side has a portion I01 extending upwardly from the cooking top,and a head I 08 formed therein presents a supporting ledge to thetransparent cover '16. In front the range has, extending abov thecooking top, a panel I09 which may be hinged to the trim plate 21, sothat it may be swung down as shown in Fig. 1.

The oven 58 may be made of any suitable material and provided withinsulation. However, I prefer to mak it of a material which isheat-resistant and at the same time a poor conductor of heata refractorymaterial. It may be formed of one piece and vitrified. The oven door IIOmay be formed of the same or a similar material, so that when closed theinsulating effect retains the heat and conserves fuel. Spaced apart fromthe oven door III) is an upright grilled support III spanned by aplurality of angle members H2, H3, H4, and H5. Secured to the door III!is a second plurality of angle members H1, H0, H9, and I in alignmentwith said first slides. A base member I2I secured to the door H0 and tothe support III maintains the two in rigid fixed relation to each otherso that any pair of aligned angle members may support shelves, etc.

Also secured to the door, adjacent to opposite side edges thereof areslide members, one of which is shown at I22 in Fig. 1. These slidemembers are secured to the door I I0 in any suitable manner and extendtherefrom horizontally to engage cooperative channels rigidly secured onthe outside sides of the oven 53, so that the oven door assembly may befreely slid to open and closed positions while grasping the handle I28.The front oropen end of the oven is secured to the front wall I24 of therange by means of angle irons I25 and I26, and an angle'iron I27supports the back of the oven.

The wiring diagram. Fig. 6, shows microswitches associated with theseveral gas cocks and designated by numerals 3%, 3 3a, 34 2), 34c, and34d. These switches all have one side connected in common to a cable Ileading to one side of a current source I3I and their other sides areconnected in common with one terminal of the primary of the ignitioncoil I29. The other primary terminal is connected to the other side ofthe source I3I by cables I32 and I33, and to one terminal of the blowermotor 38. The blower control switches 3|, 3Ia, 31b, 3Ic, and 3Id arealso associated with the several burner cocks. One terminal of each ofthese switches is connected in common to a wire I34, which is, in turn,connected to the wire I30. The other terminal of each of these switchesis connected in common with a wire I35 which leads to the other terminalof the blower motor 38. The distributor has its rotor connected to theshaft of the motor 38, and its segments are individually connected tothe several ignitor plugs 35, 35a, 352), etc. One end of the ignitioncoil secondary is connected to the distributor rotor and the other isgrounded.

The wiring diagram, Fig. 7, is identical with that shown in Fig. 6,except that the distributor 80a is driven by a flea power motor I36through reduction gearing I31, instead of being driven by the blowermotor. The motor I36 has its terminals connected in parallel with theprimary of the ignition coil so that, as long as said primary isenergized, the motor I36 will run. In using switches 34, 35a, etc., thecam on each gas cook turns the current on to the primary and the motorI36 and high tension ignition current is distributed to all of theignitor plugs 35, thus ignition is supplied each time a gas cock isturned on.

Although I have herein shown and described, by way of example, oneembodiment of the invention, it is understood that many changes may bemade in the arrangements shown and described without departing from thescope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a gas range, a motor-driven blower therein, a manifold extendingfrom the discharge port of said blower, a cooking top, a burneroperatively associated with said cooking top and supported on a branchduct extending from said manifold and communicating with the interiorthereof, a butterfly valve in said duct and having a shaft extendingthrough the wall thereof, a gas pipe in said range, a gas cook having amovable element therein for controlling the passage of gas therethroughand connected to said pipe, a conduit leading gas from said cock to saidduct between said butterfly valve and said burner, and a flexible shaftconnected to the movable element in said cock and to the shaft of saidbutterfly valve to cause them to move in unison, said burner and saidcock being substantially in horizontal alignment.

- 2. In a gas range, a motor-driven blower therein, a manifold extendingfrom the discharge port of said blower, a cooking top, a burneroperatively associated with said cooking top and supported on a branchconduit extending from said manifold and communicating with the interiorthereof, a butterfly valve in said conduit and having a shaft extendingthrough the Wall thereof, a gas pipe in said range, a gas cock having amovable element therein for controlling the passage 'of gas therethroughand having a vertical invalve to cause them to move in unison, saidburner and said cock being substantially in horizontal alignment.

3. In a gas burning device, a cooking top, a burner operativelyassociated with said cooking top, a gas cook mounted on a gas pipeadjacent to said front edge of said cooking top and adapted to beconnected to a source of gas, a motor driven blower, a conduit leadingfrom said blower and forming the main support of said burner, valvemeans in said conduit, a rotatable element of said gas cock adapted tobe rotated to control the flow of gas to said burner, switch means onsaid member for controlling the supply of electrical current to saidmotor driven blower in synchronism with the flow of any gas to saidburner, and flexible shaft means operatively connected to said elementand to said valve means for regulating the quantity of air delivered tosaid burner in proportion to said quantity of gas delivered, said burnerand gas cook being disposed on said device in substantially horizontalalignment with one another.

4. In a gas burning device, a burner, a gas cook to be connected to asource of gas, a motor driven blower, a conduit leading from thedischarge port of said blower to said burner, valve means in saidconduit, a rotatable member on said gas cock adapted to be rotated todeliver gas to said burner, flexible shaft means operatively connectingsaid rotatable member to said valve means, switching means connected ina circuit with the motor of said blower and a source of current, cammeans on said rotatable member for closing said switching means andmaintaining it closed as long as gas is flowing to said burner, anigniter plug, an ignition transformer having a primary and a secondarywinding, distributor means to deliver high tension current from saidsecondary to said igniter, a switch in a circuit with said primary and asource of current, and a second cam means on said rotatable member forclosing said switch to effect the ignition of said burner.

5. In a gas range, a cooking top, a motor-driven blower in the body ofsaid range, a manifold extending upwardly from the discharge port ofsaid blower, a burner supported on a branch conduit leading from saidmanifold and communicating with the interior thereof, said burner beingoperatively associated with said cooking top, a butterfly valve in saidconduit and having a shaft extending through the wall thereof, a gaspipe in said range, a gas cock having a movable element therein forcontrolling the flow of gas therethrough and having a vertical intakeduct connected to said pipe, a conduit connected to a horizontal outletduct of said cock for leading gas from said cock to said branch conduitbetween said butterfly valve and said burner, and a flexible shaftconnected to the movable element in said cock and to the shaft of saidbutterfly valve to cause them to move in unison, said burner and saidcock being substantially in horizontal alignment.

6. In a gas stove, a rigid conduit connected to a source of air, asecond rigid conduit connected to a source of gaseous fuel, saidconduits lying in planes which are angular with respect to each other, aburner mainly supported on said first conduit, a gas cook having a rotorWith shaft extensions on both ends thereof and having a body with inletand outlet passages formed therein, said body being mounted on saidsecond conduit with said inlet passage communicating with the interiorthereof, an air regulator valve in said first conduit between saidsource and said burner, a third conduit substantially less rigid thansaid first conduit and of substantially less cross-section than saidsecond conduit, said third conduit being connected between said outletpassage and to said first conduit between said regulator valve and saidburner, a flexible shaft connected to one of said shaft extensions andto said air regulator valve, and a handle on the other of said shaftextensions for rotating said rotor directly and for rotating said airregulator via said flexible shaft.

7. In a gas stove, a cooking top, a front plate adjacent to said top; amain gas manifold located near the front edge of said cooking top andextending adjacent to, parallel to, and rearwardly of, said front plate,and adapted to be connected to a source of gas; a gas cock operativelyassociated with said cooking top and mounted on said manifold, said gascock having a rotatable element with a shaft extending through saidfront plate and with a second shaft extending rearwardly, said cockhaving a port communicating with the interior of said manifold, an airconduit connected to a source of air and having a branch thereof formingthe main support of a gas burner, said burner being operativelyassociated with said cooking top, a valve in said branch adjacent tosaid burner, a fitting connected to said branch between said valve andsaid burner, a conduit extending from said fitting to a port of said gascock for delivering gas into an isolated portion of said branch definedbetween said valve and said burner, and a flexible shaft extending fromsaid second shaft to said valve for moving the latter in unison with therotation of said rotatable element.

8. In a gas range, a motor blower system for supplying air to burnerelements in said range, an electric ignition system including an igniterplug for each of said burner elements and including a single ignitiontransformer and means to distribute ignition current therefrom toproduce sparks at all the igniter plugs sequentially, a plurality of gascooks for selectively supplying fuel to said burner elements, andseparate means cooperating with each of said gas cooks for conjointlyinitiating and stopping the operation of both said blower system andsaid ignition system when a selected one of said gas cocks is opened orclosed respectively.

GRAHAM P. PRATHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,344,136 Kobe June 22, 19201,361,263 Jacobsen Dec. 7, 1920 1,493,919 Cunningham May 13, 19241,655,246 Schermuly Jan. 3, 1928 1,701,500 Keith Feb. 12, 1929 1,735,806Struble Nov. 12, 1929 2,064,347 Kahn et al Dec. 15, 1936 2,127,445Hardgrove Aug. 16, 1938 2,182,106 Ames Dec. 5, 1939 2,402,429 Moecker etal June 18, 1946

